The withdrawal of traffic lanes on the future Mendel viaduct, in Quebec, is hailed by some and criticized by others, including two candidates for the town hall, Claude Villeneuve and Sam Hamad, who denounce a “war to the car”.
• Read also: Cars will be excluded from the Mendel viaduct for the tramway
“It is a fine example. We are still making a war in the car, ”launched leader Quebec leadership chief Sam Hamad, in a press briefing on Thursday.
He reacted to the report of Journal Who revealed that for a question of costs, the merchant administration decided to reserve the Mendel climb to the tram, cyclists and pedestrians.
Mr. Hamad believes that “it is important to open up CAP-ROUGE” and to allow motorists to take this new path which would lead them into the tip of Sainte-Foy.
His own bus service project by bus plans to use this same structure and he intends to include traffic lanes, even if this represents additional costs.
“Bad decision,” says Villeneuve
“I find it a very bad decision. […] Yes, it is a war in the car, “reacted the chief of Quebec first, Claude Villeneuve. If he is elected mayor, he promises to overthrow her.
“In the foreseeable future, we will continue to have people who have motor vehicles to make large grocery stores, transport their children, receive deliveries and home services. It is contrary to the promise that we made to the people who will settle there. ”
Alexandre Turgeon, of the Regional Environment Council, has been campaigning for several months for the withdrawal of the tracks.
He said he was “disappointed but not surprised” of Mr. Hamad’s reaction. Claude Villeneuve’s position surprises it more.
“It is a position that is not anchored in 2025 and not in line with contemporary issues. […] Scientific transport solutions are known and should not be the subject of political issues. ”
Mr. Turgeon points out that “there are too many possibilities for increasing the road capacity which are created with the tram”. This could harm the attractiveness of the tram, according to him.
Circulation de transit
He also argues that all the circulation of transit from the western outskirts could pour out in the neighborhood.
While the Cap-Rouge district council has been demanding the road for a long time, that of Pointe-de-Sainte-Foy had adopted a resolution to recommend not adding road capacity that would increase the flow of cars in its already strokes.
Transit circulation is also an argument invoked by Angèle Pineau-Lemieux, public affairs coordinator and development at Access Viable Transport, who is delighted with the withdrawal of traffic lanes.
It underlines the unusual opportunity to create a new district in the boiler sector, oriented around a structuring mode of transport that is the tramway.
“The city wants to make a tod [transit-oriented development]it is a golden opportunity to plan public transport and active in an exemplary manner and that displacement habits are developing accordingly. ”
